News marshal

Cinematic round-up

First up this week, USA Today have a minuscule but quotage-laden article on Michael Caine relating to the much-awaited Is Anybody There? As you may remember, Rosemary Harris plays Elsie in the film. (See past posts for cast comments and plot details). It will have a limited release in the U.S. on April 17 and will then open in the UK on May 1. In the meantime, feel free to have a peek at the trailer. A Canadian viewer (who incidentally also saw the TIFF Q&A) calls the film 'brilliant', adding 'I loved every minute of it. The movie had the perfect mix of comedy and drama'.

Meanwhile, Pride and Glory has almost completed its long list of scheduled openings, with just Norway left to go on April 17. Although reviews have become infrequent, ordinary viewers are still commenting. Blogger Rob Thomas for example found the film 'a bit disturbing at times' but describes the acting as 'off-the-charts good'. 'As far as corrupt cop movies go', he said, 'this was as well-acted as any'. A viewer at Film Journal generally agreed, saying the film 'doesn't disappoint', calling it a 'fine police drama' and considering it 'well-worth checking out'. Concurring also, Metro's short summing-up lists a few faults but commends 'good performances' and 'memorable scenes'. More loosely-related, the Times Online fleetingly drop the film's name into their article on corruption and the NYPD.

Elsewhere, one Before the Rains reviewer recommends watching the film 'on the largest screen' possible and 'with the best sound system you can find'. She goes on to claim that 'for two hours you will be absolutely transported to another world'. (Do we think she liked it?)

Other notables

Offering a different but no less exciting form of transportation are ex-Utopians Martha Plimpton and Billy Crudup. Both mighty theatrical talents will be taking part in the 52nd Street Project's Can Do event in New York next month. (See Playbill for more details). The performances - featuring plays by young writers - are free and will take place at the Public Theater from April 3-5.

Next, LiveDesign inform us that the much celebrated Bob Crowley (co-designer of The Coast of Utopia sets) has been awarded the 2009 Robert L. B. Tobin Award For Lifetime Achievement In Theatrical Design. He will receive the award in a ceremony on March 27 in New York. After charting Crowley's career from a bottom rung scene painter to top of the business, the article considers Crowley's collaboration with Stoppard before shifting to thoughts on one particular venue:

[...] Crowley may well be considered the scenic 'voice' of playwright Tom Stoppard in New York. ... 'I think you need to take a different approach to Tom Stoppard,' says Crowley. 'He is...an intellectual writer but also has a phenomenal amount of humanity inside him. He is a poet, and I think you need to apply a sensual aesthetic. I love his language, and a poetic and sensuous approach changes the way you hear his words. People are generally too literal about Stoppard, but I don't think you should be.' [...]

[...] The Tony-winning The Coast of Utopia was staged by Lincoln Center Theater in the Vivian Beaumont, a space once considered awkward to design for. ... 'I love the Beaumont,' says Crowley. ... 'I have no fears at the Beaumont. You have to embrace these spaces. If you love them, they love you back.' [...]

Two little nymphets

Lastly, over at the Chat Extension, the lovely Kate has discovered an adorable anecdote (featuring an eight year old Jennifer Ehle) in a book about actor Sir Peter Ustinov. (Search 'Jennifer Ehle' within the book). Further proof Ms Ehle started her training young!

We wish you a merry Chri...BIRTHDAY!!!

First and foremost...

Good wishes, happy returns and plenteous felicitations to Jennifer Ehle, who according to various netly sources celebrates her birthday today!

In keeping with the traditional forward/backward thinking that goes on at this time of year, a small stocking's worth of pieces new and old follows.

For useful information

• Potential Oscar and the Pink Lady attendees might find it helpful to visit the French Institute Alliance Francaise site for the latest details of the play's New York run. It appears that all performances will take place Fridays to Sundays, with two shows on Saturdays. The original text by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, 'Oscar and the Lady in Pink', is available from Amazon (UK) among other places.

For quality

• See the Telegraph's interview with Tom Stoppard from 2002, in the days when The Coast of Utopia was on in London and Sir Tom was only 65.

For film reviews and thoughts

• The Minneapolis Star Tribune bestows 3.5 stars on Pride and Glory, calling it 'savage yet moving'.
• For something more substantial see Filmmaker Magazine's extended piece with Glory director Gavin O'Connor.
• Alternatively, new public Pride and Glory views are being aired over at Amazon:

[...] I thought this was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time that wasn't an action or special effects driven movie. Ed Norton does a great job and Jon Voight is back with a great performance. The cast is top notch ... It is about 2 hours long but it is full of enough good dialogue and drama that it didn't really bother me. No holes here. Just a good drama done right. [...]

and:

[...] I did really like this movie. ... It's really just another good cop/bad cop New York movie, but the acting makes it a must watch. ... I recommend Pride and Glory. [...]

For fun

• The Mail's Tom Kelly revisits the subject of the Darcy/lake filming stunt with brief quotage from the man himself (who apparently nearly turned the role down - unbearable thought indeed!)

For a bit of miscellany

• A quick reminder that Radio Free Albemuth, in which Ms Harris plays Light Angel, will be released sometime in 2009. The whereabouts or indeed existence of The Yankee King (originally set for a March 09 release) remains a mystery until further notice. Last but not least, eBayers might be interested in a signed 1964 copy of John Ehle's The Land Breakers.

Happy New Year to all!

Pride and Glory. DVD. January 27.

If last week's amount of news was like a cargo-laden ship, today's is more like a small and largely empty dinghy. Still, the few worthy mentionables follow.

Firstly - reviews. Further to previous Pride and Glory evaluations, one blogger considered the film 'solid', 'long' and 'great' (bar the ending), while an unenthusiastic other nevertheless lists some 'selling points':

[...] Voight, Norton, Emmerich and Farrell are ably supported. Jennifer Ehle is convincing and appropriately upsetting as Francis Jr's cancer-stricken wife Abby, while John Ortiz gives a tragic soul to the disgraced Sandy. Amid the many cliches...are scenes you definitely haven't seen. [...]

Top news-wise is the announcement that Pride and Glory will be available on DVD from January 27th. (See MovieWeb, the DVD Times, High Def Disk News and the HD Room). According to the above, one can choose from a single disc/film only option, and a snazzy two-disc special edition including a 'making of' featurette entitled Source of Glory. Amazon will release the film in Region 2 on March 2nd and pre-ordering for that is available now.

Lastly, earning a place in Theatermania's top ten theatre-related reads for the festive season is the 2007 edition of The Coast of Utopia. The (rather convincing) attempt at enticement is as follows:

[...] In the preface to the 2007 American Edition of The Coast of Utopia, Tom Stoppard's epic trilogy about 19th-Century Russian intelligentsia, the author writes, "I wish I'd written it this way first time round, but I didn't know enough then." Whether or not you've read the original text, Stoppard's engaging and thoughtful play is not one to be missed. Stoppard has a true gift for revealing the human side of the great thinkers that are the subject of his plays without losing sight of their intellectual achievements. [...]

Bringing divaliciousness to set

Have we had enough Jennifer Ehle quotage this week? I think not. Let's have some more. First, Brightcove have another red carpet video from the New York premiere of Pride and Glory. Jennifer Ehle appears twice, responding to questions about the Glory boys and divaliciousness.

Second is some Rains multimedia from AVS (unfindable but possibly an oldie from the first half of 08). In it, Ms Ehle again appears twice, talking about why the film reminds her of film noir and Hitchcock. Lastly, Starpulse have an interview (minus Ms Ehle) that we appear to have missed from the TIFF.

The remaining hickeldy pickle of relevancies follow.

• Following the Pride and Glory hype in South Africa, the Times speak to Colin Farrell about the film and being a father.


• The South African approach coverage of the film from a slightly different angle, saying:

[...] Pride and Glory pumps out so much testosterone that audience members of all genders will leave with hairier chests. But this gritty police saga is masterfully made, and cleverly told, so it might well be worth the cost of a wax. [...]

Another yay comes from The Hollywood News, which goes so far as to say 'this is probably 2008's strongest ensemble outside of The Dark Knight', considering its rich performances to 'more than make up' for its lack of originality. Reviewer Adam Mast goes on to explain:

[...] What really gives this film an emotional wallop is it's attention to character detail. Each character in Pride and Glory has something to lose, particularly Emmerich's Francis Tierney, a man who not only stands to lose credibility and respect, but also his sickly wife (played brilliantly by an effective Jennifer Ehle). [...]

Also receiving the thumbs up is the oft-criticised ending:

[...] Pride and Glory took a good thirty minutes to really get going, but once it did, I was completely sucked in. This is a testament to the stellar performances and Gavin O'Connor's strong direction. Even a somewhat unexpected brawl scene in the final act of the movie manages to work. It's silly and not entirely realistic, but it lends a certain Irish charm to the proceedings. Pride and Glory is solid entertainment, with much to recommend it. [...]

• On the flipside, blogger The Mad Hatter was about as happy with the film as his name suggests, while The Film Street Journal have more harsh words. Avion Newspaper's James Willingham goes for some rhyming ('Pride and Glory is very gory') and despite not considering the film anything special, he does identify 'some rather brilliant acting':

[...] Under Gavin O'Conner's (sic) direction the film has several scenes where emotional trauma is prevalent and causes the audience to understand just what's at stake: the reputation of the glorious NYPD. [...]

• Ben Johnson at Artipot makes some neutral observations about the film, only moving away from this to predict that Pride and Glory 'should catch the public mood and draw the audience'.


• Movie Waffle evidently got bored with ordinary yay/nay comments and twice ponder the subject of Jennifer Ehle's head. They say:

[...] Yes, there will be women in this movie. One of them will even have cancer. But this is a man’s film. If men are at home with their wives it’s because the bars are closed. If a woman gets a line it’s because the man needs to be reminded of something. Witness Jennifer Ehle – shaving her head for what she doubtless thought would be more than a two scene role – telling Noah Emmerich: “I need you to be that man”, and Emmerich nodding, thinking perhaps: “She shaved her head for this?” [...]

Then later:

[...] It may be me, but I could swear (Norton) looks envious when he hugs Jennifer Ehle at the family Christmas, thinking perhaps: 'Why didn’t I get to shave my head?' [...]

While we're on the subject, Glory release dates are now up (on IMDb) for Germany, Austria, Brazil, Australia, Sweden and Norway.

• Elsewhere regarding reviews, Zola's Movie Pics gave Before the Rains 3 stars, and justifies that score thus:

[...] The story and location were equally magical. ... I think Rahul Bose gives the strongest performance as he tries to obey his people yet still hang on to his dream of modern prosperity. The soundtrack is very soothing and aids in setting the stage. [...]

• After a far lengthier evaluation, CHUD give a (very precise) 7.3 out of 10, explaining how the film successfully demolished their preconceptions, but without also (seemingly) swaying too far into 'yay' territory. The thoughts given are honest and to the point:

[...] Before the Rains is not a great movie, but it is definitely a good movie, one that uses its budget and its cast well, and one that has a solid, if strangely old-fashioned, script. ...

[The film] has no big flaws. It gets in there, tells a story, then gets out of the way. It’s not sappy, long, or “pretentious.” On the other hand, it’s nothing uniquely moving, either. ... If you have an interest in period films or in India, definitely check this out; if not, well, see it anyway, but there’s no need to hurry. [...]

The reviewers also include an honest (and somewhat amusing) note about what the extras consist of:

[...] There’s a feature-length commentary with Roache and director Santosh Sivan, who cover such groundbreaking topics as what filming was like that day, how much they enjoyed working with each other, and what an honor it was to finally meet John Standing.

It’s not bad, and if you like the film enough to buy it, you’ll definitely like the commentary enough to hear it. The commentary is the only real feature, but that’s no big deal. The DVD has everything it needs, and the movie looks and sounds quite good. [...]

Disagreeing with the above is The Oxford Times, which makes numerous not-so-nice lexical choices despite calling the film 'worthy' and mentioning 'a willing cast and breathtaking locale'. Lastly, a note to Brits that Amazon is releasing Before the Rains in Region 2 on December 26.

• For members of Coast of Utopia Anonymous, the New York Observer talk to a blonde Mia Barron about her current role as Hillary Clinton, and about how to convince people called Jack to let you be part of their nine-hour productions:

[...] Bent on joining the cast, she implored director Jack O'Brien to consider casting her. "When I heard they were doing that, I thought, oh my God, I would do anything to be in that in any capacity," she said. "I was actually doing a play at the time that overlapped a little with the Utopia rehearsals. I just wrote Jack O'Brien a letter and I explained how much I wanted to be involved and sort of begged him to work around me." Mr. O'Brien did, assigning Ms. Barron small parts throughout the trilogy and as Martha Plimpton's understudy. [...]

• Related to that, as we haven't had a Stoppardian-related piece for a while, About Last Night have written a medium-sized report relating to Sir Tom.
  
  
• In the realm of newspapers, the Scotsman theorise on how the current economic crisis is causing people to watch chihuahuas instead of cops on film, while the Guardian exhume a short piece about Uncle Vanya from 1963, making reference to someone beginning with R.

• Next, if you're wondering what a less angry/scary version of Pride and Glory might look like, see the Italian trailer. Finally, if the upcoming festive season is making anyone want to throw some roubles at worthy causes, among BC/EFA's featured selection this month is The PLAYBILL® Broadway Yearbook 2006-2007. Judging by the product description, the hardcover book should include among its delights a chapter on The Coast of Utopia and a headshot of Jennifer Ehle.

TIFF Countdown

The Toronto festivities officially began on Thursday, and only two days remain until Pride and Glory makes its eagerly-anticipated world premiere! If anyone is able to attend, please please please share your (preferably Jennifer Ehle-oriented) thoughts with us. We are not above begging, as you can see!

In the meantime, an early review from Popjournalism extols the "terrific" leading actors (placing particular emphasis on Norton's "top-notch" performance) and concludes that Pride and Glory is "definitely a film worth checking out." So far so good. [Edit: Oops, this was posted last time. . . apologies.]

Telly-vision

• "Lost in Austen, what's the verdict?" The Austen Blog is in the midst of an engaging discussion regarding the new UK mini-series that Abi mentioned in the previous post. Stop by their blog to find out what Austen fans are saying about the first episode.
• "Once more out of the breeches!" According to DigiGuide, our beloved Pride and Prejudice is going to be on UKTV GOLD beginning September 13. (Click here to see the schedule.) Don't miss watching it "live" if you can help it.

You are what you eat, err write

• There is a fantastic interview with Tom Stoppard at The Guardian, which is (not surprisingly!) full of delicious quotage including this little gem: "You can't help being what you write and writing what you are." He discusses just about everything, and The Coast of Utopia and (sigh) Ivanov are no exceptions. Read on!
• More Stoppard-ness can be found at The San Francisco Chronicle, and be sure to pop by our Chat Extension to read about a fan's extended experience with Utopia's Natalie Herzen.

Pride and Glory's world premiere - Sept 9

Pride and Glory

The full film list for the Toronto International Film Festival has now been released, with Pride and Glory forming part of the Gala Presentations group. The Gala schedule is also up and informs us that the film will be screened on Tuesday September 9, 2008 at 6:30pm. (The complete official schedule will be up from Aug 26.)

A plethora of articles mention Pride and Glory's line up in 'the world's second most prestigious filmfest', with Jam! for example shortlisting it as one of nine films 'whose buzz could reverberate well into the fall'. Among the rest, Australia's ABC News describe the film as 'hotly anticipated', while the New York Daily News ponders Hollywood's general fascination with New York cop movies.

Nicely putting the TIFF in context meanwhile, Thaindian explains:

[...] Unlike the festivals at Cannes, Berlin or Venice, Toronto is not known for its prizes but rather is seen as the starting gong for the North American film prize season, culminating with Hollywood’s Oscar ceremonies. [...]

It is unclear at this stage whether or not Ms Ehle will be attending the festival, which runs from September 4 to 13.

Before the Rains

In the run-up to Rains' release in South Africa on September 5, the South African Times offers a short article with some insightful words from the film's director:

[...] The story “is a metaphor for the great promise - and tragic flaw - of British colonialism. This man fights to straddle the great cultural and racial divide but he, his family and workers ultimately suffer for his attempts" [says Sivan]. "The colonial illusion about creating a British-Indian partnership always clouded their personal interactions and resulted in their destruction. This is a powerful theme because the world has not seen the last of imperialism and colonialism, as we now see in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example,” he says. “The timeless story of the unfaithful husband evokes the larger political drama,” says Sivan “because human beings don’t operate outside time; even the most enduring elements in human life take place under specific social and historical conditions.” [...]

In addition, a full 5 spots have been bestowed upon the film by yet another New York Times reader, whose evaluation reads as follows:

[...] Wonderful movie. I went hoping it would not be a soap opera and it was so much better than I thought it would be. Wonderful, understated performances by everyone. Beautifully directed and much more to the story than I had hoped. I was really impressed. I just wish this film were marketed better. It was kind of snuck into the local theater for a week and then gone. I just happened to get to see it. [...]

Finally, a blogger gives his thoughts on reading The Coast of Utopia for the first time, commenting briefly on the play, its players, and Sir Tom's metaphorical juggling abilities.

Fewer tidbits and a distinct lack of desserts

• Voices from Russia have a small piece on the Russian version of The Coast of Utopia, in which they bat around more thoughts on the play's characters and ideas. They also provide further explanation as to how May's Stanford University event came about:

[...] An international cultural and educational project [was] initiated by Tom Stoppard. The project, known as “Strolling Along the Coast of Utopia”, incorporated essay and review contests and open disputes in which the participants mulled over freedom and despotism, and personality and society. Some members of the disputes gathered at an international symposium at Stanford University. [...]

(For video/audio/general information on the Stanford shenanigans, see past posts).

• Today's thoughts on Before the Rains come from Jean Lowerison of the San Diego Metropolitan, who says 'this beautiful if standard-issue story is both well directed and rivetingly shot'. Reviews we appear to have missed come from Tim Cogshell (Boxoffice), Duane Dudek (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and Wolf Entertainment who mention 'fine actress Jennifer Ehle'.

• Brits might be interested to know that the UK's BBFC have just rated The Russell Girl a PG, possibly a sign of an upcoming Region 2 DVD release. Sofa Cinema actually give a date of 21 July 08, but there does not appear to be any corroboration of this at present.
  
  
• For those with an appetite for Austen-era fashions, see pieces by Huffenglish and The Jane Austen Centre, which will introduce the words 'pelisse', 'reticule' and 'sarsenet' into your vocabulary. See either link for a picture of Ms Ehle sporting a 'spencer' in Pride and Prejudice.
  
  
• In the same vein, there has been heightened activity over at our Chat Extension of late, prompted by one reviewer's inference (scroll down) that Jennifer Ehle and Susannah Harker wore Jane Austen's actual topaz crosses during filming. Pictures of both suggest this is unlikely, but feel free to join in the real vs. replica debate!

For the eyes and the ears

Before the Rains music

• To the right is the CD cover art for the Before the Rains soundtrack. Same as the poster, but still tres jolie, no?
  


• Below is the official press release for the soundtrack from earlier this month. A reminder that you can buy Mark Kilian's music in stores from next month (presumably US only) or via iTunes now. To see what you are missing, visit the official Before the Rains site to hear a GORGEOUS sample. (It should start playing automatically.)

[...] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAKESHORE RECORDS TO RELEASE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE FILM BEFORE THE RAINS, COMPOSED BY MARK KILIAN

"Unforgettable... a hothouse of sensuality, empire, class and guilt" – Mira Nair

(June 5, 2008- Los Angeles, CA) – Lakeshore Records will release the soundtrack for BEFORE THE RAINS will be available via iTunes on June 3 and in stores on July 22. The soundtrack contains original music composed by Mark Kilian. The film was an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.

The South African-born Kilian came to the United States to attend the University of Southern California’s graduate program in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television. After leaving USC he began working for film composer Christopher Young where he worked as the composer’s assistant and electronic score producer for many films including SPECIES, COPYCAT, VIRTUOSITY, and HARD RAIN. He scored his first film LOVERGIRL in 1997 and would continue on to write for many feature films and TV series including KING SOLOMON’S MINES, THE ANIMATRIX, and JAKE IN PROGRESS.

In 2004 Kilian would return to South Africa to score the Oscar®-winning film TSOTSI. He then scored director Gavin Hood’s next film RENDITION, traveling to Morocco and South Africa for research and to record. The ability to blend world music, particularly South African, with modern classical and electronica has helped Kilian to carve out a niche in the film music industry. For BEFORE THE RAINS, Kilian traveled to India where he worked with many of the top musicians in the country including the legendary Indian percussionist, Sivamani.

Set in 1930s southern India against the backdrop of a growing nationalist movement, BEFORE THE RAINS is the English language debut of acclaimed Indian director Santosh Sivan (THE TERRORIST, ASOKA). An idealistic young Indian man (Rahul Bose) finds himself torn between his ambitions for the future and his loyalty to the past when people in his village learn of an affair between his British boss (Linus Roache) and a village woman (Nandita Das). Santosh Sivan (ASOKA) directs this film that is presented by Merchant Ivory, the renowned force behind HOWARD'S END and THE REMAINS OF THE DAY.

Merchant Ivory presents BEFORE THE RAINS, which opened in New York and Los Angeles on May 9, 2008 and in select cities on May 16, 2008. BEFORE THE RAINS original soundtrack on Lakeshore Records will be available via iTunes on June 3 and in stores on July 22. [...]

What are you waiting for?!

The Coast of Utopia

• Courtesy of Tez, we also now have access to Tom Stoppard's conference at Stanford University from May, held to celebrate and compare the Moscow and New York productions of The Coast of Utopia. The first two links are video files; the latter two audio, and they will be available from the addresses below for a month until a permanent site is created. (They will take a while to download, but it is well worth it. Goodies include words from Jack O'Brien and clips from the Russian production.) Enjoy!

Roundtable – May 22 (mov files) - Part 1, Part 2

Symposium - May 23 (mp3 files) - (Unfortunately Session 1 is currently not working) Session 2, Session 3

Thoughts and musings

• Alison Rowat has some words about Before the Rains to supplement her previous recommendation. She does acknowledge however that the film might not suit everyone's tastes:

[...] Sumptuous photography, sun setting over the British Empire...it barely needs the name in the credits to identify Santosh Sivan's...drama as part of Merchant Ivory's stable. ... There are nicely judged performances from Das and Bose. ... Fine if Merchant Ivory style is your cup of Darjeeling [...]

• The Charleston City Paper are a little less polite in their analysis.
  
  
• Blog-wise the reception today is more favourable. He Said, She Said detail the character of Laura Moores:

[...] Laura Moores, played by Jennifer Ehle brings her love and devotion and the warning that her father thinks her a fool for trusting her life to a man such as Moores. Moores takes all of this with good humor, but it is clear the pressure is building. His wife has no reason to suspect that Moores is anything but committed to her and their future. In fact, she befriends Sajani and compliments her for taking such good care of her husband and house in her absence. [...]

Evaluation-wise, they conclude:

[...] The style of this film is typical Merchant Ivory. Filmed with rich and colorful scenes where the camera lingers just long enough to pass on the flavor of the setting without making it anything more than the spice in the stew. Roache and company do a superb job of making these people come to life and compel us to know them and what they are all about. In the vin of "Painted Veil", this cautionary tale about the clash of civilizations is most note worthy for its respect for the cultures involved and an evenhanded judgement of the times. [...]

Another blogger briefly describes the film as 'great', while yet another contemplates viewing the film for one particular reason:

[...] I may go to see Before the Rains later. Jennifer Ehle is in it! [...]

(Little-um) Omnium Gatherum

• In answering some fan questions, Martha Plimpton adds to the positive reminiscences of the Coast of Utopia marathons:

[...] Performing those all-day marathons and spending the entire day, from 11 am to 11 pm (with meal breaks, of course) with the same audience those nine times that we did it, was an indescribably gorgeous experience. Believe it or not, those were the days that seemed to go the smoothest. Everyone was on top of their task, working together and staying focused. Adrenaline was generally high. We were always so pumped up afterward, we'd go out and have dinner together en masse and stay out until four in the morning, usually.

Nothing ever went wrong during a marathon that I can recall, outside of the normal odd things that happen in live theater. Those days were particularly golden for everyone. It involved a crew of outstanding men and women who are the best in the world at what they do. It is a testament to the brilliance of the Lincoln Center crew that I can say we never noticed anything going wrong on those days. [...]

• The Sun meanwhile issue some disappointing thoughts about Thomas Lefroy, the man considered to be the real Mr Darcy.

[...] A mini-portrait of Lefroy on sale in London this month shows him as a pale wimp. One expert said: “He looks a bit girlish with rather wispy, curly hair. He certainly does not appear to have any of Mr Darcy’s rugged qualities.” ... Austen met Lefroy through a friend and flirted with him but they were parted in 1796 by their families. The book was written about that time but not published until 1813. [...]

• The Age discuss the minefield of choosing movie titles. Pride and Glory makes an appearance:

[...] When they met last year with executives at New Line Cinema, marketing consultants Seth Lockhart and Jamil Barrie pitched 10 alternative titles for Pride and Glory, a police drama starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell. The title One of Our Own caught the eye of Russell Schwartz, New Line's marketing chief at the time, who asked, "What's wrong with this one?"

That's when Lockhart, who hated One of Our Own because it sounded like a tag line, gave a kick under the table to Barrie - who thought it perfectly suited the tale of cops betrayed by a corrupt colleague. ... As it has turned out, New Line has stuck with Pride and Glory for its long-delayed drama, now set for release in 2009. [...]

• Before the Rains news today comes from cinema goers themselves. Moviepie Musings are largely positive, and were particularly glad to see the 'lovely' Ms Ehle whom they consider to have been 'sorely missing in action lately'. The intriguingly named Cheeseblabbery have a more mixed opinion, but describe Ms Ehle as 'radiant'.
• A reminder that the film's next festival appearance will be at the Edinburgh International Film Festival later this month, where it will be screened twice.
• Lastly, a reminder that the 2008 Tony Awards will be taking place this Sunday, June 15. Among the nominees are Tom Stoppard, Martha Plimpton, David Pittu, Scott Pask, Catherine Zuber and Natasha Katz.

A Family Affair

It looks like Ivanov is going to be a bit of a Bennet family reunion. According to EDP24, Lucy Briers will also be appearing in the play this fall. (Thanks muchly for the tip, Janet R). Hopefully the Donmar will soon be announcing the entire cast so we can see if any other Bennets/Darcys/Wickhams/Lucases/Collinses will be joining them. The relevant quotage is as follows:

[...] She's bright, attractive, confident and well able to make her own way in the business. But she admits that being given a leading part in one of television's big successes gave her career a very useful lift-off.

She was Mary Bennett [sic] in Pride and Prejudice - playing opposite Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle - the one with the glasses and the dodgy singing and piano playing. In fact, Briers plays flute and piano rather well and has a good soprano voice.

I'd only been out of drama school a couple of years and it was one of my first jobs. To work with people like Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle - and learning so much from them - was fantastic.

Recently, she also figured in the BBC 1980s-style detective series, Ashes to Ashes, and shortly she's off to Broadway in her own one-woman show, Some Kind of Bliss. Then it's back to the London stage to appear with Kenneth Branagh in Chekhov's great work Ivanov. [...]

It also looks like Stanford University is the happening place for Utopia fans at the moment. The Stanford News Service reports that there will be a two-day celebration comparing the Broadway and Moscow productions of The Coast of Utopia later this week. Reasons you should attend if you are in the vicinity: 1) it is free 2) Tom Stoppard is going to be there 3) Jack O'Brien is going to be there 4) there will be video clips from both productions 5) the first four reasons are reason enough!

[...] Steven Lee, a dissertation fellow at the Humanities Center who is an "American-Russian comparativist," saw both the American and Russian productions of The Coast of Utopia. Under the aegis of the Humanities Center and the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, he has scheduled two days of events this week celebrating and comparing the Broadway and Moscow productions, with staged readings, guest speakers, presentations and panel discussions. All events, which will take place at the Humanities Center, are free and open to the public.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, May 22, students from the Drama Department will produce and perform a staged reading of one scene from The Coast of Utopia. After the reading, Alexei Borodin and Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien, the directors of Utopia in Moscow and New York, respectively, will compare several video clips—selected by Stoppard himself—from the two productions. Carey Perloff, artistic director of the American Conservatory Theater, will lead a comparative discussion of featured scenes.

On Friday, May 23, an all-day symposium at the Stanford Humanities Center will comprise four sessions. The first will introduce the trilogy through images and video of the productions, as well as overviews of public and critical responses. The second will put the Stoppard script in the context of Russian history post-socialism and the many other depictions of Herzen and his cohort. The third, featuring talks by the two directors, will examine the formal aspects of the play and its productions. The final session will juxtapose the New York and Moscow productions to consider visions of utopia and post-utopia today. [...]

See SiCa Stanford for the schedule of events.

Back to the Rains:

• First, check out these fantastic fan reviews of Before the Rains at the Chat extension and the Forum.
• There are also nine "Readers' Reviews" of the movie at the The New York Times. Here is a (somewhat selective) sampling of those:

  ~A visually beautiful, well written, acted and directed film. I saw the film at its TFF premiere. It's a great addition to the Merchant Ivory repertoire. Linus Roache always does great work with complex characters. Jennifer Ehle still does the best British accent (by an American). The Indian actors were really good as well. No stereotypes here. The symbolism in the story is not overwrought, the locales are breathtaking. Definitely worth seeing.- ilona81
  
  ~Before the Rains. As noted by others, this is a remarkably beautiful film, by a major cinematographer. Nandita Das was enormously compelling, beautiful, conveyed an uncommon realism in her portrayal of the servant.- offthemap0
  
  ~a visually dense film. i enjoyed it. not commercial in the american sense--the cinema was mostly empty. the actors were sterling. sometimes j. ehle;s accent would slip but it hardly mattered. the queerest thing about the film is that it is a sad story that doesn't leave you sad but hopeful. i am not sure the film is really about colonialism although the parallels between sexual exploitation and resource exploitation of india during the raj are there to be seen. this film is its own dreamworld--that's its attraction.- cinnie7

• The Hollywood Reporter crunches some numbers for us:

  The distributor's [Roadside Attractions] drama "Before the Rains" expanded to 28 locations from a previous eight and grossed $105,308, or an acceptable $3,761 per site, with a cume of $174,015.

• Read about the "enlightened" Linus Roache at The Washington Post, where he says:

  [...] [Before the Rains] is not just about his [Henry's] soul being dead. I represent the British Empire -- that arrogance and decline. . . . And the movie's got a lot of hope for the future, and it's a rich cultural tapestry of that time. It's very multilayered.

• Finally, visit Mumbai Mirror for news of Santosh Sivan and John Malkovich.

Sarasota: In Pictures

More photos from the now ended Sarasota Film Festival are now available for viewing on Elevation. (There are four of Jennifer Ehle). As is evident, there is more pretty green florality from the Luncheon Under The Banyans, and then some pretty blue dottiness from the World Cinema Celebration. See the website for another variation on the latter.

Pictured with Ms Ehle are Before the Rains producer Mark Burton (Photo 2) and Rosemary Harris and producer/actor/director Norman Lloyd (Photo 3).

Press-wise, the Sarasota Herald Tribune report seeing a certain 'young, blond, talented actress' at the Liv Ullmann tribute luncheon, while the official Sarasota Film Festival website lists both Rosemary Harris and Ms Ehle as attendees of the ten-day event.

• Ashok R. Chandran of the Loyola School in Trivandrum meanwhile interviews director Santosh Sivan. The Rains-related pieces are as follows:

[...] Santosh Sivan is taking Loyola to Hollywood. On 9 May, Before the Rains, his first Hollywood movie — an English language film, an American production — will hit the screens of New York and Los Angeles. I haven’t heard of any Hollywood movie set in colonial Kerala, or with Malayalam dialogues. In that sense, Santosh Sivan is probably taking Kerala (not just Loyola) to Hollywood. [...]

Sivan says:

[...] It was a dream to release a Malayalam/English film in the US. So Before the Rains is a first of its kind, presented by Merchant-Ivory. When we were to make it, the folks at Hollywood asked me, “Why Malayalam? Our research says, Hindi and Punjabi are better options, since Malayalis don’t see films and only buy pirated VCDs”!

Q. Asoka was partly inspired by your history teacher in Loyola. ... Is there a Loyola connection to Before the Rains?

A. Though the story is from the Hollywood producers, it deals with a colonial background, where there are always cultures clashing. For instance, it’s perfectly normal for us to sit in front of computers and crack our head on logic, and equally normal to sit and do religious rituals and break coconuts. I was always fascinated with the roads that wind up into the Wayanad hills, and the efforts to build them. Sort of clashing of nature and man. A road is always a leftover of the clash. And becomes timeless. So many landmarks are British. So these images trigger off. Imagining about them and their life in Kerala and our forefathers, and their relationship. The movie is about such people. Rahul Bose, who is caught in-between and the choices he has to make. So with Linus Roache, Jennifer Ehle, and Nandita [Das] who all have to make choices. It resonates today too where all have to make choices. The film explores the grey areas. No one is stereotyped black or white. [...]

• As part of the 40th anniversary of New York Magazine, Jeremy McCarter rounds up the last forty years of New York theatre. The Coast of Utopia is one of the few recent productions that receive mention:

[...] THE COAST OF UTOPIA, 2006–2007

Arcadia and Rock ’n’ Roll are better plays, but director Jack O’Brien made Tom Stoppard’s epic about nineteenth-century Russian intellectuals a once-in-a-generation showcase for New York talent: Brían F. O’Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Billy Crudup, and Martha Plimpton, plus their co-stars, plus genius designers, plus an audience that kept the trilogy running long past Lincoln Center’s expectations. It was a milestone even before it broke the record for Tonys for a play. [...]

In other news:

• The Daily Mail report that Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Andrew Davies is recovering at home after sadly being attacked in an altercation while walking his dog. We wish him a swift recovery.
  
• One writer comments on the current name change debate surrounding North Carolina School of the Arts, attended by Ms Ehle and helped to be established by her father.
  
• Rains' Rahul Bose takes part in an online conversation for IndiaFM.
  
• And last but not least, for stateside fans in mourning after the culmination of The Complete Jane Austen, Jane Austen Today offer some thoughtful Austen-related alternatives.

Rains & Belonging

Salutations all!

Firstly, here is what appears to be a marginally revamped poster for Before the Rains. Pretty, no?

The schedule for the Tribeca Film Festival has also now been released. Before the Rains will be shown on April 29, May 1 and May 2. Click here for locations and exact times.

Press-wise, Kerala Next briefly comment on the film's aforementioned wide distribution, adding also that Sivan's piece 'throws in plenty of visual surprises'. Lastly, thank you to the tagboarder who directed our eyes to this short video on the film which we may have missed from last year. (Note: Ms Ehle snippets present.)

Another reader has kindly alerted us to the short interview with Rosemary Harris which is included as part of the extras on the Belonging DVD. Rosemary Harris played May Copplestone in the 2004 television drama, and the following is what she had to say about the project. The novel referred to in the first question is Stevie Davies' The Web of Belonging.

Q: Had you read the novel?

RH: [...] I didn't know of the book before, but I think it's a masterpiece. It's so rich and free, and my sisters are now both reading it, and they keep ringing me up and enthusing about it. I actually have to give my darling older sister, Pamela, the credit for my May wearing a baseball cap!

I once brought back a silky blue one from the States. I lent it to her, and with her blazing blue eyes, she looked so gorgeous in it that I never had the heart to take it away from her, and she now wears it all the time. So I thought May's cap could be an homage to my sister. [...]

Q: Describe May.

RH: [...] May invented the term strong-willed. She's a bit of a monster really. I think she's a little bit round the bend and a complete narcissist. She only sees things from her own point of view. I've certainly known people who can be utterly charming, but ultimately care only for themselves.

I think she's a wicked character to play (especially when she starts talking about cattle dung being a serious threat to the ozone layer in the southern hemisphere!), and I adore her--I think there could be a whole play about her! I don't normally play
such colorful characters as May, and it's fun.

May is the younger sister of Brenda and obviously the difficult one. Apparently I was rather difficult as a child. I was considerably younger than my sister, yet she was terrified of me. I was called the household devil, so I have used my own experiences in playing May. [...]

Q: Would you ever want your children to care for you in your old age?

RH: [...] I don't know if I will need care later in life, but I wouldn't wish it on my daughter or son-in-law! I would like to keep going in a little bungalow, managing my myself for as long as I possibly could.

I am very interested in this new ruling being discussed about housing where developers must build houses with a bedroom on the ground floor and a bathroom just because they can't manage the stairs and things. They seem to think that this will help a lot with the problem of shuttling old people off into nursing homes.

Being an actress, one need never retire. I suppose the longer you can keep your marbles, the longer you can "stay on the branch" and the less competition there is. When I was young, people used to say, "How can you learn all those lines," and I thought, "That's the silliest question," and now I think it is the most sensible. Now when I start a new job, my brain needs to crank up and struggles to memorize for a few days, and then suddenly, something kicks in, and it's lovely to thread all those beads together and relish the mental exercise. [...]

Additionally, here are the relevant thoughts of one reviewer, who after praising Brenda Blethyn's performance, says:

[...] But the limelight in this case has to be shared with Rosemary Harris, playing the mother-in-law, who has some excellent lines and delivers them well. Both turn in top quality performances. [...]

On the story:

[...] The plot is simple: what happens when a middle-aged husband leaves his wife for a younger woman. But the result is not exactly predictable. [...]

Belonging can be purchased on Amazon, in Region 1 and Region 2.

Today's miscellanea:

• Variety have an interesting piece about reconciling theatre and digital technology. The Coast of Utopia is mentioned, although blink and you may miss it.
• Broadway World announce that Martha Plimpton will be one of nine co-chairs at the Drama League Awards in May. Tickets are available for the ruble-laden. The Coast of Utopia won in last season's 'Distinguished Production of a Play' category and Rosemary Harris is listed as a past recipient.
• And finally, a nice article from the Times talks at length about Tom Stoppard's life. It is actually written by Tom Stoppard, which helps.

Dearest, softest Elizabeth!

The news fairies are evidently on holiday at the moment, but here is what little there is:

On March 6, director Jack O'Brien received his own caricature at the legendary Sardi's, and as is clear, a certain lady was in attendance! The photo is from Wireimage, who also have another very similar one. For the story itself, see Theatermania. Tom Stoppard, Amy Irving and Patricia Conolly also gave their support. Click here and scroll down for pictures of that trio.

Sticking with Utopia, Russianites might be interested to know that from March 23, Amazon are selling a marginally rejigged version of Isaiah Berlin's Political Ideas in the Romantic Age. If you have yet to tackle Russian Thinkers however, that book is now available for the astonishingly low-ruble deal of $3.20. Other worthwhile reads if you missed the extravaganza back in 2006/7 are E. H. Carr's The Romantic Exiles, and Alexander Herzen's My Past and Thoughts.

The minuscule amount of LRN:

• The folks at the AustenBlog discuss Elizabeth Newark's Pride and Prejudice sequel The Darcy's Give a Ball, revolving around the offspring of Lizzy and Darcy.


• And lastly, if any more proof is needed that the world is Austen-crazy, one can now purchase - courtesy of the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, England - Elizabeth Bennet Hand Cream. Fragrant thought indeed. Just be careful not to accidentally mistake it for marmalade.

Fancy a bedtime story?!

• Firstly, if you like Henry James, you may be interested to know that Silk Sound Books are selling an audiobook of Washington Square....read by Jennifer Ehle! (Thanks to the person who let us know). Click the link to listen to a nice little clip. From that page you can also purchase the 6hr 55min audiobook for £7.95. Here is their synopsis of the story:

[...] Washington Square: The battle between a father and a daughter is usually portrayed in literature as a struggle between a headstrong but feisty girl and a tradition-bound lead weight of a father. Henry James of course had to do it somewhat differently. He tells a story of an intelligent man riding the turn of the tide in mid-nineteenth century New York, and watching what he sees as his numbingly dull and conventional daughter making the mistake of her life in her choice of husband. The fight between these two delicious characters makes this one of James’ funniest and most enjoyable of novels, with the suspense carried right up until the last page as to how the contest will end. [...]

A reminder that Ms Ehle also completed audiobooks for Witch Child and The Tempest in 2001. (Follow the links to go to their respective pages on Amazon).

• Secondly, there is some more information regarding the Pride and Glory postponement to 2009.

The Huffington Post attribute the delay to recently-released The Golden Compass and quote Colin Farrell as saying:

[...] They pushed it just now to 2009. ... There's this rumor going around that it's because it's a...bad film. I feel the need to kind of speak up, not from my own end but genuinely for Gavin O'Connor because he wrote and directed it. It's just a really really strong piece, but I think New Line lost the b******s on "The Golden Compass," ... and they literally don't have enough money to market things.

"Pride" is a tricky one to market anyways. It's pretty dark... Gavin did a great job and you know, Jon Voight is brilliant in it, and Ed [Norton] is great in it and [it has] a really strong cast of supporting characters... It's a really strong piece." [...]

Hollywood Elsewhere give a slightly less favourable input into the debate.

• Next, Utopian Richard Easton's Downstage Center interview is now online. Regarding the read-before-you-see debate that arose around The Coast of Utopia, he says:

[...] It was criminal what they did over Utopia - it was absolute nonsense. People were constantly saying 'I don't know if I'll be...' and I was saying 'For Heavens' sake'; ... it just enrages me, and the unfortunate publicity about it... Tom [Stoppard] started life as a journalist - he is totally a communicator, and a passer-on [...]

Discussion relating to his collaboration with Rosemary Harris and Ellis Rabb is 19 minutes in. Easton describes the former's acting at the time as 'wonderful'.

On the subject of offering advice to younger artists:

[...] I've become quite famous for this... In the cast of Utopia, there were quite a few ex students of mine...and they were talking to Plimpton...and saying that when Richard left, he left this 'Advice to Young Actors' packet...and she said what is this thing? So I dug it out and gave it to her and she had copies made... It was things like 'always be polite to the wardrobe', because that's where all the talk is...'remember that the...backstage belongs to the stagehands - not to you'...they keep the job - you're just here for this...and 'be on time, be early'...'make sure you can be heard' and...'get the laughs' [...]

On acting in The Coast of Utopia:

[...] A lot of the kids in Utopia had never done rep...and a lot of them...the joy they experienced when we added the second play - particularly if they were playing different parts. They thought 'Oh, I get it - I don't have to do it all in the first play. I can do just the character. And in the second play, I can do just that character' [...]

On the famous marathons:

[...] It was wonderful when we did those marathons - with all three in one day. They were sensational. The first play, 11 in the morning, packed of course, with people who were so proud to be there...they had got their powerbars in their socks and all that and they were just so keen! I had the first scene basically, and they laughed at everything I said - it was wonderful! In the second play they got a little tired as they wished they hadn't had that second glass of wine at lunch, but by the end...they went mad...they stood and cheered...it was so exciting for us. [...]

On scenes and dialogue:

[...] It was only really difficult for Brian O'Byrne...he talked the whole time, he was wonderful, but he was the only person really who suffered. ... Ethan [Hawke] had the wonderful thing of getting into a fat suit and having his teeth blacked out and playing the 'old' him, which he so relished, and that gave him an enormous zip of energy for the end. But Billy [Crudup] wasn't even in it! ... It was amazing - a wonderful experience. [...]

Elsewhere in the news:

• Kansas City briefly berate USA Today for criticising The Russell Girl.
• Jane Austen Today discuss PBS Masterpiece's great little 'The Men of Austen' poll as important preparation for the re-showing of Pride and Prejudice, which begins this Sunday, February 10 in the US. (WPBT/Channel 2)
• DNA India chat to Ms Ehle's Before the Rains co-star Rahul Bose about his latest project.
• The BBC are continuing to follow the sad disappearance of make-up artist Diane Chenery-Wickens who worked on Pride and Prejudice.
• The Charlotte Observer briefly mention John Ehle's The Land Breakers.
• Finally, a reminder that Rosemary Harris' Oscar and the Pink Lady closes on Sunday. Pop along and see it if you are able to in the next four days!

The post-Russell round-up!

Most of you are well aware of this, but for the benefit of our irregular or non-US readers, The Russell Girl starring Jennifer Ehle aired in America on Sunday.

• Jonathan Storm of The Philadelphia Inquirer considered Ms Ehle's performance to be of 'Emmy-nomination caliber':

[...] Hallmark Hall of Fame's "The Russell Girl," though fictional drama, insightfully explores gripping themes of real life. ... Fine acting, particularly from Amber Tamblyn and Jennifer Ehle, breathes life into it... Watch double Tony-winner Ehle... get a supporting-actress Emmy nomination for this gripping performance. [...]

• The Hollywood Reporter mentions no specifics but was impressed overall, calling the show:

[...] a compelling, superbly acted film about people and the real life that can stomp all over their happily ever after. ... Scribe Jill Blotevogel's teleplay strikes all of the proper melodramatic notes, her dialogue infusing the characters with a stark authenticity. All of the players turn in fine work in a project that deftly shines a light on the humanity of scarred souls [...]

• Tom Jicha of Freep was much less enthusiastic, but even he noted 'a strong supporting turn by Jennifer Ehle'.
  

• In the blogosphere, viewers report being left in a range of emotional states after seeing the show, from the pleasantly tearful to the disappointingly depressed, the drained and lastly the unsatisfied-because-the-news-interrupted-the-ending. Another viewer was torn between Masterpiece's Mansfield Park and The Russell Girl, so gave equal attention to both, describing Ms Ehle in the latter as 'excellent, of course'. (A reminder that Pride and Prejudice will be shown as part of the Masterpiece extravaganza on Sunday February 10, 9-11pm EST on PBS).

• The Russell Girl has also been credited with causing CBS to win the eyeballs race on Sunday night. Zap2it more specifically note that:

[...] "The Russell Girl" drew an 8.8/14 for CBS at 10 p.m., easily beating NBC's record-breakers, 4.1/7, and a "Brothers & Sisters" rerun, 3.2/5, on ABC. [...]

Luckily, Mediaweek explain it using more digestable figures:

[...] CBS followed up with a special Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Russell Girl from 9 to 11, which averaged 12.7 million viewers. [...]

Alternatively, see bythenumbers for a more comprehensive channel/program breakdown.

• Incidentally, residents of Stouffville, Ontario - one of The Russell Girl's filming locations - were reminded to tune in as well to see their town on the small screen.
  
• Thankfully, Hallmark will be selling The Russell Girl on DVD from February 1 for $19.98, although it seems that delivery is only available within the US at this point in time. (Thanks to qqazz for letting us know).

In non-Russell news:

• The ATW's Downstage Center radio interview with Tom Stoppard is now online. Ex-Utopian Richard Easton is also the next scheduled interviewee.
  
• Packetonline briefly review Oscar and the Pink Lady starring Rosemary Harris, while the British Telegraph briefly profile the actress as part of their regular feature on cinema's unsung heroes.


• Also, read a brilliant piece on Sir Tom's travelling habits by the New York Times if you want to see what happens when you cross a suitcase with a library. (Note: I want one!)


• Lastly, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette describe Utopia director Jack O'Brien's induction into the Theatre Hall of Fame. They also answer a question that has been puzzling me for some time - how old he is. (An unbelievable 68, it turns out!) They also reveal an interesting piece of advice that Mr O'Brien issued to the Utopia cast at the beginning of their project:

[...] In rallying his huge cast for "Utopia," O'Brien told them, "you're going to be together for over six months. You are a group of enormously attractive people. Proceed with caution!" [...]

3 days til Jane; 17 til Lorainne

Greetings all! Just some little bits and bobs today:

• Firstly, CBS/IMDb have some lovely photos of The Russell Girl. The above is of Ms Ehle as Lorainne Morrisey, and there are thirteen more of other cast members. Happy viewing!
  
• Secondly, Jane Burns of The Capital Times arouses more excitement about PBS' 'Complete Jane Austen' extravaganza. Even her little introduction succeeds in eliciting anticipation:

[...] They play the piano forte. They hide their affections for those brooding sorts. They know their own minds and love to read. They are the island of common sense in a sea of idiotic relatives and acquaintances. They speak of "understandings" and "attachments." And they'll be all over PBS this winter and spring. [...]

• On January 5, Tom Stoppard was interviewed at the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) by Carey Perloff, as part of the Koret Visiting Artist Series. Fortunately, a podcast of the discussion is available in three parts. Slightly less fortunately, Part One does not seem to contain any any Coast of Utopia discussion as written, and Parts Two and Three do not currently seem to be working. Hopefully the faults will be amended soon!
  
• Calling all Californians - the Berkeley Daily Planet have announced that three readings of The Coast of Utopia will be taking place this month. It is perhaps a little late notice for Voyage (being read today) but you may be interested in the other two:

[...] The Coast of Utopia Reading of the trilogy by Tom Stoppard “Voyage” at 7 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Other readings on Jan. 16 and Jan. 23. Tickets for all three are $150. 841-6500, ext. 303. [...]

Although the wording is a little unclear, given the previous bullet point and the fact that Sir Tom is therefore in California, one presumes these readings are being done by him, thus accounting for the price - but please double check this if you plan to attend!

• On the blog scene, one author/blogger discusses the 1989 film adaptation of John Ehle's Winter People.
  
• Lastly, as you may have heard, Nicole Kidman has had to drop out of upcoming project, The Reader, due to her pregnancy. While IMDb report that her place has now been filled by the lovely Kate Winslet, prior to this one blogger proposed an alternative:

[...] How about Jennifer Ehle? She's a great actress and bona fide box office! [...]

Salutations

• Everyone is talking about 'Sundays with Jane.' Monroe News has another article about 'The Complete Jane Austen,' which begins next Sunday.
  

  [...] Jane Austen fans, rejoice. A most agreeable situation is at hand.
  
  PBS' "Masterpiece Theatre" will air a "weekly feast" of the early 19th century author's works Jan. 13 through April 6."
  
  The Complete Jane Austen" features all-new productions of "Persuasion," "Northanger Abbey," "Mansfield Park," and "Sense and Sensibility" along with prior productions of "Pride and Prejudice" starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth and "Emma" starring Kate Beckinsdale.
  
  The four new productions were adapted by screenwriter Andrew Davies, who wrote "Bleak House" starring Gillian Anderson in 2006. Ms. Anderson will debut as one of "Masterpiece Theatre's" new hosts with the Austen series.
  
  Also slated is "Miss Austen Regrets," a story based on the author's own bittersweet love life.
  
  While Miss Austen's stories focus on the pursuit of "good matches," they're seen as witty social commentaries on middle-class life - especially for women - in the early 1800s. [...]

• And just for fun, the Liverpool Echo has an article about Pride and Prejudice.
  

  [...] Colin Firth wasn’t the only piece of genius casting, though.
  
  With five Bennet girls to cast, producers ended up seeing virtually every actress between the ages of 15 and 28 who had the requisite period air about them. At the first audition, the actors read a few scenes in front of the producer and director before moving on to a screen test. For this they were dressed in period costume and given full hair and make-up.

  Jennifer Ehle, previously in The Camomile Lawn, became a definitive porcelain- complexioned Elizabeth.
  ...
  So who did those few hours of TV have the most lasting effect on? There are two tied winners.
  
  Firstly, a fictional one – Bridget Jones. The hopeless singleton finally found her man thanks to author Helen Fielding’s fondness for Colin Firth’s character.
  
  “I was so in love with Mr Darcy, so without hesitation I called Bridget’s Mr Right Mark Darcy,” she explained. Firth went on to play Mark Darcy in the film version.
  
  And the other? Colin Firth himself. When asked by a French magazine who were the women in his life, he replied: “My mother, my wife and Jane Austen.” [...]

• Roma Torre of NY1 considers Jennifer Ehle's performance in The Coast of Utopia to be one of the year's best. Duh!
  

  [...] Among the women: "The Coast of Utopia's" Jennifer Ehle won a much deserved Tony and Martha Plimpton launched an incredible year, returning triumphantly to Lincoln Center in "Cymbeline." [...]

• Finally, visit The Village Voice to read Michael Feingold's "A Year is Born," in which "the theater district gets its own Twelfth Night, complete with kings bearing gifts." Here is a snippet:

  [...] Just then a ray of predawn light, piercing the garage's grimy air, struck the sleeping baby's face, and it spoke for the first time. "Repertory," it said, in its piping voice.
  
  "Repertory," the women echoed, awestruck. "Of course." Stanislavsky's eyes brightened. Brecht grinned his sardonic grin. Ziegfeld's brow furrowed. "Repertory?" inquired Charlotte St. Martin. "I'm not sure I know what that is."
  
  "It isn't commercial," Estelle Parsons explained sadly. "That's why New York doesn't have it." "But we have dozens of nonprofit theaters," said Elizabeth McCann, gesturing around her, puzzled. "Yes, but they're not repertory theaters," cried Rosemary Harris, while Joanne Camp nodded energetically in agreement. "I've played in real repertory. I can tell you, there's nothing better—for actors, for the theater, for the audience." [...]

Happy New Year!!

I hope everyone had a great holiday. But, we can't begin a new year without first looking back at '07:

• Linda Winer of Newsday says that plays, not musicals, took center stage in 2007:
  

  [...] for the first time in who knows when, drama is flourishing on Broadway and off. At this rare instant, serious theatergoers can see major revivals of Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett, Tom Stoppard, Edward Albee and Edmond Rostand. [...]

  And, Sir Tom made the number two spot in her 'Top 10 in Theater' list:
  

  2. TOM STOPPARD. The year began with the now-closed "Salvage," the third and final installment of "The Coast of Utopia," the unlikely and poignant extravaganza about pre revolutionary Russian progressive thought. And now we have "Rock 'n' Roll," the Czech-born British playwright's latest extreme-sport expedition to the jagged coasts of another Utopia. (Bernard Jacobs Theatre, ongoing.) Although less wonderful than such Stoppard masterworks as "Arcadia" and "The Real Thing," this strangely distant play is still a heady and entertaining drama about Czechoslovakia from 1968 through 1990 - with rock music as its audacious guide.

• Playbill dedicated an entire section to Martha Plimpton in the 'Top Theater Stories of 2007':
  
  

  MARTHA PLIMPTON When Martha Plimpton was searching for treasure in "The Goonies" and having Keanu Reeves' baby in "Parenthood," who would have thought that two decades later she'd be one of the hottest stars on the New York stage? Although Plimpton had previously appeared on Broadway in Sixteen Wounded (2004) and Shining City (2006), 2007 seemed to be her year: The stage and screen star received a Best Featured Actress in a Play Tony nomination (as well as a Drama Desk Award) for her performance in Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia and stellar notices for two Shakespeares: Midsummer Night's Dream in Central Park and Cymbeline at Lincoln Center. Plimpton's already booked for 2008: She'll star in Caryl Churchill's Top Girls — under the direction of James Macdonald — at the Biltmore Theatre beginning in April.

We have many exciting things to look forward to in the coming months!!

• Rosemary Harris will be reprising her role(s) in Oscar and the Pink Lady at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey from January 15 to February 10. According to Playbill:
  

  [...] In a statement George Street artistic director David Saint said, "I am thrilled and honored to be welcoming Rosemary Harris to George Street Playhouse. It is amazing to me to have this great lady of the theatre on our stage. I am doubly thrilled to welcome back Frank Dunlop, the founder of England's Young Vic Company as well as the Brooklyn Academy of Music's theatre company. He magnificently directed Address Unknown a few seasons ago, and we are so pleased to be able to work with him again. [...]

  Visit the George Street Playhouse website to order tickets.



• January 13 marks the beginning of Masterpiece Theatre's The Complete Jane Austen, which will air on PBS. The PBS PressRoom describes the "event" as such:
  

  [...] For the first time on television, Austen fans can now sit down to a weekly feast of all of her immortal plots, presented by MASTERPIECE® THEATRE over the course of four months in beautifully acted, lavishly set and gorgeously costumed adaptations. As a bonus, viewers will be treated to a new drama based on Austen€™s own bittersweet love life. [...]

  For a sneak peak, click on the link in the upper right corner of the PBS website and watch the commercial that has been posted at youtube. Also at youtube is "a behind-the-scenes look at adapting Jane Austen's classic novels to television with screenwriter, Andrew Davies." The PBS PressRoom has the entire television schedule, though My Favorite Things has posted one that is a bit easier to read. Note that Pride and Prejudice will be shown in three parts on February 10, 17, and 24.

• Before the Rains will make its US premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 11 and 12. Visit the PSIFF site to purchase tickets.



• The Russell Girl will be broadcast on CBS (US) on January 27 and...



• Pride and Glory will be released in the US and UK on March 14. See IMDB for more release dates.

Best wishes to everyone in 2008!